Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree - Bladensburg MD

How to Find the Right Physical Therapist Program near Bladensburg 20710

Bladensburg MD physical therapy school student with volunteer Obtaining a physical therapist degree near Bladensburg MD is an essential first step to starting a fulfilling career in the medical care field. Physical therapists (PT) help people who have been debilitated due to illness or injury regain function and mobility. But before they may legally practice and provide treatment for the rehabilitation of patients, they need to receive the proper education and training. A PT must additionally become licensed in every state, many mandating that the licensee receive a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So prior to selecting a physical therapy school, it’s essential to investigate the ones you are looking at to make sure they will furnish a quality education and meet your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is enroll in a college simply because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has the most affordable tuition. There are other important qualifications that need to be considered in addition to cost and location. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll address what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What Do Physical Therapists Do?

Bladensburg MD physical therapist helping patient walk Physical therapists work in diverse settings, such as Bladensburg MD hospitals, health clinics, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and sports facilities. What the facilities all have in common is that they have the equipment for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As earlier mentioned, physical therapists help patients that are struggling with a lack of mobility and in many cases pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they create a course of treatment to deal with the mobility issues and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also try to prevent any progression of the disability. Though the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

Osteoporosis and Arthritis
Motor vehicle accidents
Head injuries.
Heart attacks.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Fire injuries.
Knee Replacement.
Sciatica.
Cerebral Palsy.

Licensed physical therapists practice in close association with other Bladensburg MD health professionals, including chiropractors, physicians, registered nurses and dentists. They may also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them in the diagnosis and treatment of their patients. Something to keep in mind for anyone considering going into the physical therapy profession, it is rather physically demanding. Physical therapists often lift patients and heavy equipment, and kneel, crouch and stand for extended periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Available

Bladensburg MD physical therapist applying acupuncture to patient There are 3 physical therapist degrees offered for students to pursue at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of these options, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either training students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or preparing them to advance to the doctoral level. Following are brief summaries of degrees that are offered in the Bladensburg MD area:

Associate Degrees prepare students to become physical therapy assistants, or may be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent to be accepted for enrollment. The programs are usually provided by community or junior colleges, and take about two years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the curriculum.
Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to prep students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not a requirement to be a candidate for the doctoral program, they are an integral initial step to becoming a PT. Similar to most bachelor’s degrees, they generally take four years to finish and often include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
Doctorate Degrees are mandated if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes three years to complete, making the overall investment of time seven years in the majority of cases. Clinical training is an intregal component along with the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the completion of an internship is required, not just for graduation but in a number of states for licensing also.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has replaced the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been phased out and is no longer offered in the USA. A number of licensed physical therapists holding a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in prior to the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was instituted.

Physical Therapy Degrees Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Bladensburg MD While not as prevalent as the more traditional alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapist degrees offered, more so at the graduate level. Due to the hands-on structure of the training, clinical lab work and internships are incorporated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the school campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online portion of the program may be accessed within the comfort and convenience of the student’s Bladensburg MD residence. Online schools are not only to some extent more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be significantly lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And a number of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, assuring a quality education. These advantages can make the online option the right choice for those students that are motivated enough to attend classes at home.

Subjects to Ask Physical Therapist Programs

By now you most likely have come to decision regarding a few of your initial questions, like the kind of physical therapist degree you would like to obtain, where you prefer to attend classes, and how much money you can afford to invest in your education. But considering there are numerous PT schools within the Bladensburg MD area and across Maryland, you’ll have to research additional qualifications as well so as to further narrow your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s why we have put together a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapist colleges you are reviewing. Ask all of the potential colleges these questions prior to making an ultimate decision.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited? Find out if the programs you are considering have earned accreditation from a national or a regional agency. As previously stated, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you enroll in an online school, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s important that both the physical therapist school and program you select are accredited, not just the school. Additionally, verify that the accreditation is through a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Besides guaranteeing that you obtain a quality education, accreditation might be mandated for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the Program’s Reputation? Along with accreditation, it’s essential that the college and program you pick have excellent reputations within the physical therapist community. There are a number of ways you can investigate a PT program’s reputation, beginning with requesting references from employers that they refer their students to. You can also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting organizations for their reviews also. Get in touch with several Bladensburg MD physical therapist clinics or other health care facilities that you might have an interest in working for and ask if they can provide any advice about your program options. It may also be a good idea to check with the Maryland Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been submitted against the schools.

What is the College’s Job Placement Rate? There are a two important statistics that you need to know about all of the physical therapy colleges you are reviewing. First is their graduation rate. A low rate may suggest that students left because of dissatisfaction with the program, the teachers, or both. Once the students have graduated, what percentage of them are being hired with the help of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Bladensburg MD area? If a program has a higher job placement rate, it’s an indication that its reputation within the healthcare community is good or perhaps outstanding. It also affirms that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs upon graduation.

Does the College Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s essential that the program you choose furnishes both exceptional training and a course of study that supports the licensing requirements for Maryland or the state where you will be working. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) along with a degree from an accredited physical therapy school. Although licensing requirements differ state by state for PT and PTA graduates, some states require a minimum amount of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on additional tests.

Are Internship Programs Sponsored? Ask if the physical therapist colleges you are evaluating have partnerships with Bladensburg MD clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships an excellent manner to receive hands on experience in a clinical environment, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As an ancillary benefit, they can assist students and graduates form professional connections in the Bladensburg healthcare community and help with obtaining employment after licensing.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the physical therapy college they pick will have to be within travelling distance of their Bladensburg MD home. Those who have chosen to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges often charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Aid Offered? The majority of DPT colleges offer some form of financial assistance to their potential students. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have a financial assistance office and find out what kind of assistance is offered. They at least should help in obtaining a student loan or any grants you might be eligible for. Some physical therapy colleges provide scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before eliminating a program because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial aid might be available.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must verify that the physical therapist program you ultimately pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Bladensburg MD area, check that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Bladensburg Maryland?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Bladensburg MD area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Bladensburg, Maryland

Bladensburg is a town in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States.[6] The population was 9,148 at the 2010 census.[7] Areas in Bladensburg have the ZIP code 20710. Bladensburg is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) from central Washington, D.C.

Originally called Garrison’s Landing, Bladensburg was renamed in honor of Thomas Bladen, governor of Maryland, 1742–1747. Bladensburg was established in 1742 as a regional commercial center by an act of the Maryland General Assembly. The act also authorized the town commissioners to purchase 60 acres (240,000 m2) of land to be laid out in 1-acre (4,000 m2) lots. The act required that a house covering at least 400 square feet (37 m2) of ground with a brick or stone chimney be constructed within 18 months of the sale of the lot. As of 6 June 1746, only 18 of the lots had been improved according to the stipulations of the act. Christopher Lowndes' house, Bostwick, and those built by David Ross and William Hilleary (the William Hilleary House) were among them.[8]

A seaport during the colonial period, Bladensburg is best remembered for the Battle of Bladensburg (1814) during the War of 1812, notable because it was the only battle in American history in which a sitting president (James Madison) rode into battle. America's eventual defeat, called "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms",[9] cleared the way for the burning of Washington by British troops. Its role as a seaport faded as the Anacostia River silted up and larger ships could no longer reach the port.

Choose the Right Physical Therapy Degree Program near Bladensburg MD

Picking the right physical therapy program is a necessary initial decision you have to make to start a gratifying career in the healthcare profession. As we have addressed in this article, the PT or DPT degree program and college you choose should both have exceptional reputations and be accredited. But there are other important questions that you should ask pertaining to your school of choice as well. As you commence your search for a physical therapy program, bear in mind that many variables will lead you to your ultimate decision. You may decide to go to each of the colleges to view their facilities and talk with current DPT students. While there, ask yourself this critical question: will this program help me realize my goal of becoming a practicing licensed physical therapist? By adhering to our list of supplemental questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the appropriate choice. And with the necessary education and training, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a licensed physical therapist in Bladensburg MD.